Legitimizing Hamas’s War Criminality

John Kerry is upset by heavy criticism from Israelis — left, right and center — of his recent ceasefire diplomacy. But that’s only half the story. More significant is the consternation of America’s Arab partners, starting with the president of the Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas was stunned that Kerry would fly off to Paris to negotiate with Hamas allies Qatar and Turkey in talks that excluded the PA and Egypt.

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Mark Steyn: Israel and Ukraine, each fighting against the forces of terror and chaos

The two big international headlines of the moment are the downing of the Malaysian jet over Ukraine and Israel’s incursion into Gaza. On the face of it, these two stories don’t have much in common, but they are in fact part of the same story. To know Israel it helps to know Ukraine, and to know Ukraine it helps to know Israel.  This weekend will mark the 70th anniversary of the day the Soviets re-took the city of Lviv (or Lvov, or Lemberg, according to taste) in western Ukraine, and ended a three-year German occupation. Before the Germans arrived, there were well over 100,000 Jews in the city and just shy of 50 synagogues. On July 26th 1944, when the Soviets returned, there were a couple of hundred Jews left.  Lviv had been, variously, Polish, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Habsburg, Soviet — but always, across the centuries, Jewish. All gone.

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Countdown Israel II

By Richard Fernandez - News that rockets were fired at southern Israel from the Sinai — from Egypt in other words — raised the possibility that an IDF operation directed against Gaza might lead to further incidents with Cairo. ✧ [Excerpt] The potential collision between Egypt and Israel over Gaza now threaten to catch him [Obama] between two fires. A collision between the two American ‘allies’ will force him to reap the bitter fruit of trying to be all things to all men; of trying to support the Brotherhood, with its hostility to Israel — and Israel. He will have to square the circle or openly choose sides in a way that not even the New York Times can conceal. Read full post at The Belmont Club... Read More......

CNN: Netanyahu defends deadly raid: 'That was not a love boat'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel's actions that led to the deaths of nine activists aboard a boat laden with humanitarian supplies for Gaza. Read full story at CNN... Read More......

Will U.S. aid go to Hamas?

NEWSMAX, 3/3/2009 - Critics Say U.S. Tax Money Will End Up in Hamas' Hands
Lawmakers and other critics are lashing out at a pledge made by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to give nearly $1 billion in U.S. aid to Gaza, saying American tax dollars will end up in the hands of terrorists and that rebuilding the coastal strip is futile until a peace agreement is reached. Read more at Newsmax... Read More......